Ecotourism has its advantages and these can be as an impact to the tourist, the local community or even the host country. Ecotourism is educational to the tourist. By traveling to new places the tourist learns about local plants and animals that he'd otherwise not have encountered. The traveler also gets to get a deeper understanding of the local culture this ensures that one learns to appreciate and respect other people's beliefs. Ecotourism brings the tourist closer to nature, open up the tourist's mind to new ideas along with new perspectives on life and other people. It takes them to places less traveled and gives them a wonderful new experience without harming the environment (Newsome, Moore & Dowling, 2002).
Ecotourism benefits the local community as it enables the provision of employment and infrastructural development. The locals surrounding the national parks or whatever conservation project can benefit from them as the government or foreign investors require services which can be provided by the locals. This in turn also ensures that fewer people migrate to the cities. The local population gains new skills which guarantee that they are not totally dependent on the limited natural resources. Some of the areas may be remote and tourism ensures that infrastructure facilities like water supply and schools are provided in order to keep the locals happy and ensure good services.
Ecotourism offers new opportunities for small-scale investments and also increases national responsibility in the protection of biological resources. It therefore acts as a means of socio-economic and environmental uplifting especially in developing countries for which the ecotourism acts as a major source of foreign exchange.Visiting the protected areas such as national parks and reserves contribute towards maintenance of the parks or reserves. This is possible by the collection of entrance fees and other charges which go towards paying for improvements and salaries for the staff taking care of the facilities. Sufficient amounts of revenue are therefore re-invested in protecting natural habitats (Sindiga, 1999).